2021 KIA Soul Engine Problems
Owners have filed 138 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2021 KIA Soul, 58% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 41,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “piston oil” (16% of reports).
- 138engine complaints
- 41,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $7,450typical repair cost reported by owners
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Piston oil: mentioned in 22 of 138 complaints (16%)
- Engine stalling: mentioned in 7 of 138 complaints (5%)
- Safety risk: mentioned in 7 of 138 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2021 KIA Soul at $7,450, and half of them between $2,050 and $7,700.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2025–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 15 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 138 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury.
KIA Soul engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Soul | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2024 Soul | 5 | 17% | 7,000 |
| 2023 Soul | 14 | 26% | 8,872 |
| 2022 Soul | 54 | 57% | 27,000 |
| 2021 Soul | 138 | 58% | 41,000 |
| 2020 Soul | 243 | 63% | 24,037 |
| 2019 Soul | 87 | 64% | 50,045 |
| 2018 Soul | 141 | 64% | 70,812 |
| 2017 Soul | 191 | 70% | 82,000 |
| 2016 Soul | 561 | 69% | 86,000 |
| 2015 Soul | 630 | 70% | 93,000 |
| 2014 Soul | 553 | 61% | 103,052 |
| 2013 Soul | 285 | 43% | 117,000 |
| 2012 Soul | 209 | 41% | 119,150 |
| 2011 Soul | 24 | 12% | 107,000 |
| 2010 Soul | 9 | 7% | 65,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
Risk: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.
Engine
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My kia's soul was part of a major safety recall for oil piston ring. The reason it's not showing on a recall list is because they claim to have fixed the issue. And it was removed. The issue is still persistent, and now the car has suffered catastrophic engine failure due to this recall issue. Kia…
The car was constantly burning through large amounts of oil. One night I was driving and the car started slowing down and lost power completely. This put my safety at Risk because I was on the freeway and came to a complete stop. I brought the vehicle to the dealership and they said it would be 4k…
Burning oil and piston failure in my 2021 Kia soul. But itâs not the 1 percent under recall. More than just the 1 percent
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 KIA Souls have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 138 owner complaints about engine for the 2021 KIA Soul (58% of the 238 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2021 KIA Soul engine?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 41,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2021 KIA Soul?
Owners report a typical cost of $7,450 (half paid between $2,050 and $7,700), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2021 KIA Soul?
The most frequent phrase is “piston oil”, in 22 of 138 complaints, followed by “engine stalling” (7).
See all 2021 KIA Soul problems or engine problems across all Soul years.